AUGUST 2024

60th Anniversary - Billy Mills - Gold Medal Winner

Favorite Olympic Moments

By Rev Protodeacon George A. Haloulakos

With this year's Paris Olympic Games now in full swing, this summer marks the 60th Anniversary of American Track & Field star Billy Mills winning the Gold Medal in the 10,000 meter run (6.2 miles) at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.  Mills' 1964 victory, immortalized in the 1983 motion picture "Running Brave" (featuring Robby Benson), is considered one of the greatest upset victories in Olympic history because he was virtually unknown on the global stage entering this event.  The life story of Billy Mills is a tribute to overcoming great odds while providing a strong, positive message on pursuing and accomplishing personal goals.

William Mervin (Billy) Mills was born June 30, 1938 in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.  As a Native American, Mills is also known by his Ogala Lakota name Tamakhóčhe Theȟíla, which means "loves his country" or "respects the earth."  Orphaned at age 12, Mills took up running and achieved a level of excellence that enabled him to attend the University of Kansas on an athletic scholarship where he was a three-time NCAA All-America cross country runner.  Billy Mills achieved distinction athletically, academically and in service to our nation's armed forces.  In 1962 he graduated with a degree in physical education and then entered the US Marine Corps.  Of note is that Mills was a First Lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve when he competed in the 1964 Olympics!  His record of accomplishment, dedication and service enabled him to rise from poverty to Olympic Gold.  Amazingly enough, it was reported that Mills never owned his own pair of new shoes until the night before the Olympic Games.

Mills finished second in the US Olympic trials and was essentially unknown as a runner.  Moreover his time in the heats was one-minute slower than the favorite in the 10,000 meter race!  It was not until the final stretch that Mills emerged in front and won the event by running 50-seconds faster than he had ever run before.  His dramatic come-from-behind victory set a new Olympic record!

In his post-running career Mills continued to be a Gold Medal winner in the game of life.  He is the co-founder of Running Strong for American Indian Youth, that is aimed at helping Native Americans fulfill basic needs of food, water and shelter while also promoting self-esteem and achieving self-sufficiency.  Mills is also a leader in educating Native Americans about the importance of a healthy style, including diabetes prevention.  He has been honored with many awards paying tribute to his athletic accomplishments, community service, helping young people fulfill their goals and much more.  All of this is reflected or embodied in the 2012 US Presidential Citizens Medal that recognized Mills' lifetime body of work.

The Olympics is a venue where surprising athletic accomplishments can occur every four years, and in this instance with Billy Mills, helps to inspire the many generations that follow.  Please join us in saluting Billy Mills not only in recognition of the 60th anniversary of his Gold Medal but for exemplifying the core values of hard work, determination, self-discipline and sportsmanship.  If you have any special or favorite Olympic Games memories, please share them by either posting to the Galaxy FACEBOOK page or writing directly to me at: Haloulakos@gmail.com